


There's Something in You

by a_pious_cruelty



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2016-02-10
Packaged: 2018-05-19 14:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5969683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_pious_cruelty/pseuds/a_pious_cruelty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of short femslash fic, part two</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's Something in You

**Author's Note:**

> Wanda/Natasha, MCU New Avengers. G.

They talk mostly in Wanda’s native tongue, when they do talk. It’s not quite Russian, though it’s close enough that Natasha never trips over her words. Wanda doesn’t think Natasha would ever struggle with her words, no matter what language she’s speaking. She must speak many---more, certainly, than Wanda.

Natasha asks about Wanda’s childhood, relates a few rare stories of her own childhood in Russia. Only her early childhood, and Wanda’s aware of why. Natasha’s whole history is out there for anyone to look at. Not that Wanda has, herself, but there’s been more than one news special on the once enigmatic Natasha Romanoff.

Once---and always. Even if the basic facts of Natasha’s life have been revealed, Wanda knows enough of Natasha to realize how much she still has hidden.

Sometimes they go out together. Wanda found a small bakery, out of the way, that has pastries that almost match her mother’s baking for quality. It’s where they go most often. They eat, and drink coffee, and talk. Some of the other patrons speak the same language they talk in---and the owner, who occasionally strikes up a conversation with them. Most of them, however, do not. They’re Americans looking for an exotic treat to show off on their instagram. Not that Wanda faults them for that. Not exactly.

“You’re doing well in your training,” Natasha says, and takes a delicate bite of her vatrushka. Everything Natasha does is precise, and Wanda takes pleasure in watching her, for that.

Perhaps for something a little more.

“Thank you,” Wanda says, and smiles. She works with all of the other Avengers in training, but most often with Steve or Natasha. Perhaps because they’re not afraid of her, or her power. “I have good teachers.”

Natasha nods. “You do,” she says, and Wanda doesn’t mistake it for arrogance on Natasha’s part. Natasha is among the best, and there’s no fault in owning that. “We’re doing some team exercises tonight. Last minute thing. Thank Steve.”

Wanda doesn’t mind. She enjoys the exercises, though there’s always a sense, to her, at least, of someone missing in their coordinated movements. She looks down at her plate, absently stirring her coffee.

“He would be proud of you.”

Wanda looks up, startled. “I hope so,” she says, and her lips quiver a little. She’s cried a few times in front of Natasha, who handled it better than Wanda would expect of someone thought to be cold-hearted. She doesn’t want to cry now.

Natasha reaches over, putting her hand on Wanda’s. She says nothing more. The touch is enough.

They finish their pastries in coffee in relative, but comfortable, silence. When they return to Avengers headquarters---Wanda’s home, still, though Mr. Stark has repeatedly offered to pay for an apartment---Wanda goes to her room and pulls out the only picture she has of Pietro. She brushes her thumb over his face, taking in a slow, steadying breath.

“Are you watching me, brother?” she murmurs. “Are you proud?”

She sits for a few minutes with the photograph before she puts it away in the desk drawer, wrapped in piece of silk.

The few hours before practice she passes reading in what has become her favorite spot in their surprisingly large library. Most of the books she realizes have been placed there for her---by Steve, perhaps, but more likely by Natasha. She’s never had access to so many books, and she’s careful to try a range, though her favorites are the mysteries. Some part of her always fears loss, and if she loses this, too, she wants to know that she didn’t waste it.

She slides a bookmark in The Awakening and rises from her seat when her phone buzzes in her back pocket, calling all Avengers to the practice room. The first time she entered this room, she was frightened, longing for her brother to appear so that she would not feel so devastatingly alone. Now, she enters with confidence. She’s an Avenger, like all the others. One day, she might even be a hero.

They divide into teams. Once they did girls versus boys---Vision sat out, deciding he counted as neither---and it was an embarrassing loss for the boys. Today it’s Vision, Rhodey, and Wanda against Sam, Steve, and Natasha. Wanda’s team has a power advantage, but Natasha, Steve, and Sam have fought together before. They move together with a fluidity that the overall team has not quite mastered.

Wanda’s hex blasts bounce off Steve’s shield, one after the other. He’s fast, even if she has the advantage of flight. She doesn’t hold back, though they aim to not wound in practice. Steve can handle her, and he does, very well.

She watches Natasha from the corner of her eye, knowing that she’s the most dangerous person in the room, regardless of powers. They end up facing off as Steve goes after Rhodey, probably using his knowledge of the Iron Man suit to target weaknesses in the similar War Machine suit.

Natasha dodges each of Wanda’s blasts with a grace Wanda has never seen in any other person. She’s beautiful to watch, and if Wanda weren’t fighting her, she’d only watch Natasha.

Natasha doesn’t have her guns, but she does have her Widow’s bites. Just a moment’s distraction---Rhodey’s out of the air, thanks to a well placed throw of Steve’s shield---and Natasha gets close enough to zap her. It’s a minor electrocution, but it stings, nonetheless.

Natasha puts her hand up to signal an end to the combat. It’s early, though they’ve gotten a good workout. “That’s enough for tonight.”

Sam and Vision talk in the corner, with Sam asking how Vision did this move or that. Rhodey leaves to make repairs to his suit, as Steve apologizes for the damage, and Natasha takes hold of Wanda’s hand and leads her out of the room.

Wanda’s surprised, but she follows, feeling the warmth of Natasha’s hand in hers. They stop in the hallway, and Natasha turns to her, frowning.

“Did I hurt you?” she says.

It’s not the first time Wanda’s been on the receiving end of some kind of attack, though it is the first time it’s come from Natasha, who’s usually more careful than the others. “No,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m fine, Natasha.”

Natasha looks at her for a moment, and then she touches Wanda’s face in a tender gesture. She’s never done something like this before, and Wanda’s breath catches in her throat. It’s been a while since someone has touched her like this. “I’m sorry,” Natasha says. “I thought you would throw me off.”

“I guess we need to spar more,” Wanda says, offering a smile.

Natasha laughs. “Maybe.” She’s still looking at Wanda, still has her hand on Wanda’s face, and Wanda thinks she should do something. Seconds pass, only, but they feel very long.

Perhaps the thing to do is not to lean in and press her lips, gently and very quickly, to Natasha’s, but it’s what she does. She draws back, face hot, and considers running, like a child.

Natasha, probably sensing that, puts her hand on Wanda’s shoulder. She doesn’t speak for a long moment, but she’s smiling. “Or we could do something other than spar.”

And then she’s walking away, leaving Wanda stunned in the hallway.


End file.
